HR earns central role in company reporting

A taskforce has been launched to help employers meet proposed regulations
that would force companies to include HR measures in their annual reports.

Denise Kingsmill, chair of the DTI taskforce, said the group will be seeking
feedback from Personnel Today readers on people management measures that
demonstrate the strength of employment practices within organisations.

It will use the information to develop best practice guidance for employers,
which will be published later this year.

The guidance will be submitted to ministers in November as recommendations
on proposed changes to the Operational Financial Review rules, that will
require people management data to be published in annual reports.

"We want considered views from experts, and Personnel Today’s readers
are the experts," said Kingsmill.

The sorts of measures to be considered are likely to include information on
staff turnover, training and diversity.

"Everyone says ‘People are our greatest asset’. So it is important
shareholders and others know about management of that asset," said
Kingsmill.

CIPD director-general, Geoff Armstrong, said the creation of the taskforce
was recognition that there is more to companies than profit and share price.

"This [reporting] will show a true and fair picture of people policies,
and show a trend over time," Armstrong said.

Sue Kavanagh, HR director at Carlson Wagon Lit Travel, said the introduction
of people management measures into annual reports would help HR’s status.

"This will help raise the profile of the profession," she said,
"but it is important that the guidelines are very clear, so the measures
used by one company are the same as those used by another in the same sector to
ensure a consistent approach."

By Quentin Reade

To have your say write to: Accounting for People Taskforce, 1
Victoria Street, London SW1H OET